ADDIS ABABA - Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde Gebremariam said on Wednesday he had resigned from his post, which he held for 11 years, to focus on his medical treatment.

"I am retiring early due to health issues," he told Reuters in a text message.

Gebremariam grew the carrier from just 50 planes in 2015 into Africa's largest airline, with a fleet of 131 planes operating on local and international routes.

His career saw him win a number of accolades including "African CEO of the Year" and "Best African Business Leader," according to the Ethiopian Airlines website.

(Reporting by Dawit Endeshaw Additional reporting by George Obulutsa Writing by Hereward Holland Editing by Elaine Hardcastle and Mark Potter)